The disclosed embodiments relate generally to an approach for managing a print job in a networked printing system and, more particularly, to an approach in which custom services can be added to a print job pursuant to its submission to a printer from a client workstation.
In the area of digital printing and copying, there has been a growth in demand for multifunction electronic printing devices (MFD). Such devices may assume the form of an arrangement in which a single print engine (e.g., xerographic or thermal ink jet print engine) is coupled with a plurality of different image input devices (or “services”), with such devices being adapted to produce image related information for use by the printer or transmitted over a network. The image related information, in one example, could have its origin in video facsimile signals, microfilm, data processing information, light scanning platens for full size documents, aperture cards, and microfiche. MFDs provide a broader range of functionality than traditional single-function devices, such as dedicated printers, copiers, and scanners. Because of their network transmission capabilities combined with their functionality, it is useful for MFDs to be able to utilize web browsers to access information from the World Wide Web and various document devices present on the LAN to which the MFD is connected.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20080091800 to Sorrentino et al. (published on Apr. 17, 2008 and entitled “Local User Interface Support of Remote Services”) discloses a number of prior art implementations for accessing web content on a MFD. More particularly, Publication No. 20080091800, the pertinent portions of which are incorporated herein by reference, discloses a MFD enabling access to both services resident on the MFD and remote services through a user interface that processes digital documents through use of a Web browser. The MFD includes a browser for requesting and viewing external web applications pages on the local user interface of the MFD for remote service(s) running in the browser and for transmitting system events to remote service browser page(s). The MFD also includes a local applications service, which controls services resident on the MFD, and a local user interface, which permits local and remote systems to interrogate and control the MFD. Web services provide application programming interface(s) capable of utilizing a plurality of web protocols.
Xerox Corporation (“Xerox”) and Canon USA, Inc. each currently offer a platform permitting the introduction of custom services on the interface panel of an MFD (hereinafter referred to as “the custom services platform”). For example, each currently offered custom services platform can be used to offer special scanning or copying services at the MFD. Thus, the typical custom services platform includes a copy path. However, as understood, the focus of these custom services platforms has not been on print path development.
In accordance with one aspect of the disclosed embodiments there is disclosed a print job processing system, including a workstation communicating with a network. The workstation includes a document application for creating a document in a first format, a print driver, communicating with the document application, for converting the document in the first format into a document in a second format, a user interface with a display, a browser, communicating with the user interface and the web service, for accessing a services interface, the services interface including at least one selectable service available by way of the network. The browser, responsive to the print driver converting the document in the first format into the document in the second format, is opened to display the at least one selectable service of the services interface on the user interface display. Responsive to selecting the at least one selectable service from the displayed services interface, the at least one selectable service is applied to the document in the second format to form the print job.
In accordance with another aspect of the disclosed embodiments there is disclosed a method of processing a print job. The method includes:                A. performing the following with a workstation: (1) creating a document in a first format, (2) using a print driver to convert the document in the first format into a document in a second format, (3) accessing a services interface with a browser, the services interface including at least one selectable service available by way of the network, (4) responsive to said A(2), opening the browser to display the at least one selectable service of the services interface on a user interface display, and (5) selecting the at least one selectable service from the displayed services interface; and        B. responsive to A(5), causing the at least one selectable service to be applied to the document in the second format to form the print job.        